On top of the world
Meteorology alumna Alexis George ’22 monitors extreme weather at the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire.
While most people commute to work by train, bus, car, or bicycle, Alexis George’s winter travel comes on the tracks of a snowcat, a track-laying vehicle often seen grooming the trails of ski slopes.
In winter conditions, the vehicle carries her up 6,000 vertical feet to her job as a weather observer and meteorologist for the Mount Washington Observatory, home of the world’s most severe weather.
“I work the night shift at the observatory, where my primary responsibility is to take hourly weather observations at New England’s highest peak,” said George, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in meteorology from the College of Natural Resources and Environment’s Department of Geography. “No matter the weather conditions, I head outside at least once an hour to take the temperature, look at the sky condition and precipitation type, and take other meteorological data. In the winter, I also have to free the weather instruments of rime ice accumulation using a mallet or crowbar, sometimes on an hourly basis.”
The data set that George contributes to has been collected at the station since 1932 and is a critical resource for researchers exploring long-range patterns of meteorological change. George was lucky enough to be working when the observatory tied a notable record.
“I was fortunate enough to be working at the observatory on Feb. 4, 2023, when we measured the lowest temperature of -46.7 F, which tied the all-time record low set in 1934,” said George, who is enjoying her second year on top of the world. “Extreme cold and strong winds from an Arctic blast also produced a low wind chill value of -109 F at the summit, which means the weather conditions outside felt more similar to Mars than Earth.”
George had ample preparation to monitor weather instruments: As a Hokie, she participated in meteorology instructor David Carroll’s field course, where meteorology students monitor field stations on some of the highest mountains in Virginia and West Virginia.
“While I was at Virginia Tech, I had the opportunity to take a course where we went out into the field and maintained a weather station that the college has,” said George. “I really enjoyed that work, and it was a good experience for what I’m doing now.”
While the cold work and solitude of the night shift is challenging, George has found ways to use the cold conditions have fun.
“I think the best part of my job is that no day is quite the same, and by the end of every shift I enjoy feeling that I’ve worked my hardest,” said George, who is from Arlington, Virginia. “When conditions allow, I’ll sometimes go sledding at the summit after my shift. The snow drifts can reach to the roof of the building, so we’ll climb those and sled down.”
